Louisville Residents Indicted for Illegal Driver’s License Scheme
A federal grand jury has indicted multiple individuals from Louisville, Kentucky, on February 4, for allegedly participating in the unlawful sale of driver’s licenses to immigrants.
Melissa Moorman, who used to work as a clerk at the Near Center licensing branch, notified her supervisor and the Kentucky Department of Transportation back in October 2024 about a number of her co-workers being involved in what she believes to be fraudulent activities.
She pointed out that, “As alleged in the indictment, this fraudulent scheme involved kickbacks and bribes that led to numerous legally present non-U.S. citizens obtaining illegally issued driver’s licenses.”
Moorman indicated that her colleagues were charging around $200 for each license sold to undocumented immigrants who were not eligible to obtain a license through legal channels. Apparently, she engaged in these transactions four to five times daily at various branches over a span of at least two years.
“Employees were getting paid cash,” Moorman told a news outlet. “I reported it to my boss immediately.”
She also claimed that two of her colleagues began issuing licenses using her login credentials after being directed by her supervisor to share that information, as not every employee had individual logins.
Furthermore, Moorman alleged that counterfeit Social Security cards and birth certificates were utilized to produce these licenses and permits without the applicants taking the necessary driving tests. She mentioned that this plan also evaded Department of Homeland Security checks.
Not long after she reported the suspected fraud, Moorman said she was fired from her job. In response, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet stated in court documents that her firing was justified and unrelated to her whistleblowing claims.
On February 10, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Kentucky announced that five more Louisville residents had been charged with fraud and money laundering. They include Donita Wilson, 32; Arielle Matthews, 27; Lazaro Alejandro Castello Rojas, 37; and Robert Danger Correa, 41. Another individual, who has yet to be arrested, also faces charges related to mail fraud and illegal creation of identification documents.
Wilson and Matthews had previously worked at the Near Center office. Even though Rojas and Correa weren’t employed by a licensing agency, they are accused of recruiting noncitizens and assisting them during their license appointments.
The indictment notes that Rojas and Correa “gained the trust” of applicants by presenting themselves as knowledgeable about the process, communicating in the same language, and sharing similar backgrounds. Many applicants, unfamiliar with how to obtain a driver’s license and often struggling with English, were easily misled.
Federal prosecutors allege these defendants extracted illegal fees between $200 and $1,500 from individuals seeking licenses, promising fast-tracked services to bypass lines and testing requirements. The applicants were led to believe that the process was legitimate.
The indictment suggests that a non-U.S. citizen applicant was lawfully residing and asserted that this reflects a thorough investigation into an elaborate scheme involving Kentucky Department of Transportation officials who illegitimately sidestepped established methods for issuing valid driver’s licenses.
U.S. Attorney Kyle Bumgarner commented, “Ensuring thorough screening of individuals applying for driver’s licenses is crucial for maintaining safety on Kentucky’s roads. This scheme, as alleged, involved bribes and kickbacks, resulting in many legally present non-U.S. citizens possessing improperly issued licenses.”
The governor’s office was approached for clarification on whether these licenses were indeed given to illegal immigrants or tied to voter registration. They responded that, “This indictment does not involve issuing licenses to individuals in the country illegally.” They added that, during a routine examination of applications, KYTC officials identified numerous fraudulent activities leading to the revocation of 1,985 applications, subsequently notifying law enforcement to investigate.
Representatives for Rojas declined to comment due to the ongoing litigation, while neither the Kentucky Department of Transportation nor the attorneys for Moorman, Wilson, Matthews, and Correa offered responses to requests for comment.
